Speaker: Diana Thomas, Montclaire State University

Title: The Problem of Adherence to Diets - A MathematicalPerspective

Abstract: Compliance to diets is one of the most important issues onboth a personal and experimental level. In this talk I review the history of weight loss experiments and methodsto test for patient compliance. I will presenta differential equation model for weight change based on the human energybalance equation that illuminates the significance of subject compliance todiets. Reposing the question as aboundary value problem offers a novel method for determining ongoing individualsubject adherence to diets. Thenumerical solution to the boundary value problem is validated on data collectedfrom a recently conducted weight loss study.

Time: Friday, March 19, 2010, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Place: Science and Tech I, Room 242

Department of Mathematical Sciences
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MS 3F2
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
http://math.gmu.edu/
Tel. 703-993-1460, Fax. 703-993-1491